There are two things people want more than sex and money... recognition and praise.

Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001), founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, became known for a motivational management style that emphasized positive reinforcement, public acknowledgment, and symbolic rewards. The line is commonly circulated in business and sales-training contexts as a distillation of her belief that people—especially employees and independent salespeople—are driven strongly by esteem needs. It aligns with the recognition-heavy culture she cultivated at Mary Kay (awards, ceremonies, visible status markers), and it is typically invoked to justify frequent praise as a practical tool for building loyalty and performance rather than relying solely on financial incentives.

The quote argues that beyond basic appetites and material gain, many people are motivated most by social validation: being seen, valued, and affirmed. “Recognition” speaks to visibility and status—having one’s efforts noticed—while “praise” emphasizes explicit positive judgment. In effect, Ash reframes motivation as psychological and relational, suggesting that leaders who consistently acknowledge contributions can unlock commitment that money alone may not buy. The line also implies a critique of purely transactional workplaces: when esteem is neglected, people may feel interchangeable, whereas recognition and praise satisfy a deep need for dignity and belonging.

1) “There are two things people want more than sex and money: recognition and praise.”
2) “People want two things more than sex and money—recognition and praise.”
3) “Two things people want more than sex and money are recognition and praise.”